COMMUNICATION & EMOTION

KEY TERMS

A. Arousal

B. Emotion

C. Mood
 EMOTIONAL COMMUNICATION
 Prototypes and Scripts

 Knowledge structures that tell us how to behave and how to

interpret other’s behaviors

 “…represent a culture’s view of the critical features of an

emotion” (Metts & Planalp, 2002)
 EMOTIONAL COMMUNICATION
 Emotional Prototypes:
1) Prescriptive Norms – type of event, behavior or stimulus that triggers an
emotion

2) Reactive Norms – how, and with which intensity, an emotion should be

expressed

3) Relationship Norms – the relevancy of the nature of one’s relationship

with others (targets of emotion or those who experience it)

4) Status or Power Norms – constraints about who can express particular

emotions
EMOTIONAL PROTOTYPE CASE STUDY:
LOVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcYlA58E_ss
 LEE’S LOVE STYLES – MEANINGS OF LOVE

EROS (LOVE OF BEAUTY): passionate love; physical attraction;

sex is important marker of love; chemistry matters

LUDUS (PLAYFUL LOVE): temporary excitement, fun-based

love; high independence & autonomy; high value on spontaneity

STORGE (COMPANIONATE LOVE): friendship matters; caring;

liking (ex. best friends)
 LEE’S LOVE STYLES – MEANINGS OF LOVE

MANIA (OBSESSIVE LOVE): obsessed with partner; prone to

jealousy; physical side effects when problems exist; low autonomy

PRAGMA (REALISTIC LOVE): value of prospective partner to

future goals; similarity highly valued; compatibility matters

AGAPE (ALTRUISITIC LOVE): selfless other-orientation

THE ROMANTIC
LOVE SCRIPT
• Analyze the emotions in
this scene using the
prototype norms.
 Prescriptive
 Reactive
 Relationship
 Status or Power

• Which love styles are

represented in this clip?

Taylor Swift Valentines Day - YouTube

Communication & Emotion
MANAGING EMOTIONS CONSTRUCTIVELY
 Appraisal Theories of Emotion
Assumptions:

1. People monitor the environment

to assess whether conditions help
or hinder their goals.

2.These judgments are called

appraisals.
Appraisal of a Situation or Event Emotion
An injustice is interfering with a desired and Anger
obtainable goal.
Something of value has been lost and can’t be Sadness
recovered
The situation allows a desired goal to be met. Happiness

I have behaved in a way that violates my Shame

moral ideals.
An unpleasant outcome is possible, but not Fear
certain.
I have behaved in a way that makes me look Embarrass-
inept to others. ment
 Action Tendencies
 Refer to the behaviors that emotions compel us to
perform.

 These behaviors close the gap between the

appraised situation and our goals (help us meet our
goals).
 Action
Emotion Tendency Purpose
Anger Attack Conquer a barrier to obtaining a
goal.
Sadness Retreat Provide time to adjust to loss.

Happiness Approach Take advantage of favorable

circumstances.
Fear Protection Eliminate a threat by either
conquering it or out-running it.
Shame Make Restore one’s sense of oneself as
Amends moral.
Embarrass- Escape Get away from people who
ment witnessed your incompetence.
 Emotion Regulation
• “…processes by which individuals influence which
emotions they have, when they have them, and how
they experience and express these emotions.”
(Gross, 1998)

• The ability to self-soothe instead of

flooding and experiencing negative
emotional contagion
 Emotional Intelligence
Ability to understand and manage one’s own emotions and to be
sensitive to others’ feelings

FACILITATIVE EMOTIONS DEBILITATIVE EMOTIONS

 Emotions that contribute to  Emotions of high intensity

effective functioning
 Want to enhance these
emotions – use them to our
advantage
and long duration that prevent
a person from functioning
effectively
 Want to prevent these
emotions